We all head into 2024 with New Year resolutions to get fit, lose weight or earn a promotion.
But by February, most of our goals will be forgotten in a haze of despondency.
According to research by Statistic Brain, only 8% of people will end up achieving the goals they set.
So how do you turn the tide to make sure you stay committed? Here’s how to stick to your New Year resolutions and make them a reality.
Start small
Despite having a break over the festive season, many of us return to work feeling unexcited about the year ahead. One way to keep your spirits high is to set achievable work goals and don’t expect to tick all the boxes in your first week back.
Plan for the long term (such as looking for a new job), but take small steps at a time. If you set smaller, more attainable goals, you’re more likely to achieve them and feel like they are worth keeping.
According to psychologists, a big part of the reason people let their resolutions fall by the wayside at week two is because they don’t feel like they’re achievable. Why have New Year resolutions if the goal posts are miles away?
Set realistic objectives and you’ll feel positive and motivated about working your way to the final destination. If, for example, you have a goal of moving into management this year but are unsure how to get there, set a smaller goal of meeting one person every fortnight who can help you reach your management dream.
Set specific work goals
Creating New Year resolutions for your career in 2024 is a great way to ensure you continually progress towards new opportunities.
Identify what you want to accomplish at work in the year ahead. Whether it’s learning a new skill, taking on new projects or even finding a new job, make a plan for how you intend to make it happen, and stick to the plan with realistic goals in place.
Delegate
Scan through your routine work tasks and assess your personal return on investment for each one. Perhaps there are tasks that are really worth your while and others that you could delegate without noticing the loss.
Of course in the real world it’s not always easy to reallocate work, but if there are tasks you believe are a waste of your time, formulate a case as to why it would be beneficial for another colleague to take them on and present the argument to your boss.
Learn something new
There’s nothing more empowering than learning. Gaining knowledge will pay you back in spades, so book into that course or degree and add to your skill set.
You may also meet some interesting people who could turn into business colleagues, customers or friends. No time to make it happen? Return to the previous point – delegate.
Give something back
Pay forward the good fortune you’ve received in your life and do something just for the sake of being kind.
Whether it’s working for a charity that resonates with your values, joining a not-for-profit as a board member, volunteering with your company's corporate social responsibility program or donating some of your money.
The sense of fulfilment you achieve through giving will brighten your outlook and help with your own life purpose.
Improve your work-life balance
Be realistic when determining your resolutions – do you really have enough time to make them happen?
Perhaps you need to make changes in other parts of your life in order to free up some time. Think through the compromises and sacrifices you may need to make before diving in head-first.
Perhaps setting New Year resolutions to achieve greater work-life balance could open more doors for your career.
What New Year resolutions have you committed to in 2024?
Now is the time to start asking the big questions? Are you learning new skills? Are you on the right career path?
To make your New Year resolutions come to life, it’s essential to set an overall goal with smaller milestone objectives. Usually it’s the learning you do through the smaller objectives that leads to you to reaching the overall goal.
What are your New Year resolutions? Let us know in the comment section below.
